Why I'm Quitting Anime Conventions, Pt. 1 - The History

My first anime convention was Sugoicon 2004 (or whichever year it was last seen at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center). I was invited there by a friend from high school who fueled my interest in anime. Before her, I wasn't even aware that these shows I loved were considered anime - let alone, I didn't know what anime was. At this convention, I saw her maybe two or three times. My mother had dropped me off for the day and I assumed I would be hanging out with my friend. To my misunderstanding, she had no intention of hanging out with me. In fact, I believe I was "that kid" who everyone in the group just didn't like. I was the odd one who just wasn't "otaku" enough for them. So I spent those six hours of my first convention mostly by myself just walking around. I didn't know what a "panel" was, I felt like I couldn't go into a video room because I saw "18+" signs (I would have been maybe 14 at the time), I was unfamiliar with every video game in the gaming room, and I didn't know there would be a place for me to buy stuff so I had very little money. I think I bought a few art pieces from artist alley and maybe a necklace.

Needless to say, not a great experience. I was avoided and left alone. I was lost and didn't know how to have fun. I'm not naturally outgoing, so I wasn't about to just make new friends.

Fast forward to my freshman year of college. I had continued my interest in anime, but at this point it had been clearly overshadowed by a love for Lord of the Rings. Even though the movies ended in 2003, I was obsessed (and am obsessed to this day - HOBBIT MOVIE HERE I COME).

At orientation (in May), before the college semester actually started (in August), we were assigned dorm rooms to stay in for the night. I was in a two-bedroom suite. During some downtime I decided to read a book while listening to music on speaker. The theme song for the anime Cowboy Bebop "Tank!" started playing. A girl who was in the other bedroom came in and introduced herself, saying that she knew the song and loved the anime. That girl was Myra, who some may know as my Maid of Honor at my wedding and one of my best friends since that day.

Myra and the girl who was sharing a room with her, Sarah, were both into anime. We stayed up late into the night talking about everything (not just anime) - not that I remember most of it, that was about six years ago. The three of us were pretty inseparable during the next, and last, day of orientation.

When the semester did start, I ran into Sarah (she was either in one of my classes, or it was just on campus somewhere - not sure). We were able to hang out around lunchtime, so we sometimes went to a restaurant off-campus to eat. One fateful Friday we ate at the local Applebee's and were seated by an Irish fellow named Shawn. He recognized the anime on Sarah's shirt as being from Inuyasha. He then informed us that, if we were interested in anime, he was actually the president of the anime club on campus called ANKU and they were having their next meeting that night.

So Sarah and I made plans to attend, then I would drive her home.

It was there that we found Myra, and the circle had completed itself.